WawonaNews.com - June 2018

School Hearing for Public Discussion on the Local Control and Accountability Plan

June 13, 2018, 1:30 PM7925 Chilnualna Falls RoadWawona, California

YWECS is announcing a Public Hearing for public discussion on the Local Control and Accountability Plan

Following is the charter school’s Mission Statement:To produce self-motivated, competent, life-long learners in a local community school who have a sound academic foundation, create quality work, are group workers and problem solvers, show respect and consideration for others and choose the academic path to an enjoyable career as an adult.

With this mission statement as the guiding theme, the Yosemite-Wawona Elementary Charter School is currently developing its fourth Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP). This plan describes the charter school’s efforts to improve student achievement and serve as a blueprint for reform that encompasses curriculum, professional development, instruction, assessment and student and parent engagement.

Yosemite-Wawona Elementary Charter School’s goals include the following:All students will participate in high quality instruction and learning opportunities that will prepare them for success in high school, college and the workplace.

All students will receive instruction from highly qualified professionals in a clean, caring and secure environment.All students will have access to quality intervention programs and enrichment activities with an emphasis on individualizing academic challenges for all.​All stakeholders will be engaged in the learning process by promoting opportunities that strengthen the skills, competencies and abilities of students, parents, staff and community.

YOSEMITE-WAWONA ELEMENTARY CHARTER SCHOOLBoard of Directors Meeting

NOTE: The Board will be asked to approve all of the following items by a single vote, unless any member of the Board or of the public asks that an item be removed from the consent agenda and considered and discussed separately.

Approval of minutes of the regular meeting, May 30, 2018

Financial reports

Monthly approval of warrants (Action needed)

Financial Report

Payroll Report

HEARING OF PERSONS WISHING TO ADDRESS THE BOARD

The public may address the Board on any matter pertaining to the school that is not on the agenda. There will be no Board discussion and no action will be taken unless listed on a subsequent agenda. ACTION ITEMS6.Discuss and approve local sub list- so we can get people fingerprinted on or before August start date7.Discuss and approve funds for Summer services for the two students with IEPs

NOTE: The Board will consider and may act upon any of the following items in closed session. Any action taken will be reported publicly at the end of the closed session as required by law.12.1.Employee Negotiations (Gov. Code 54957.6)12.2.Personnel (Gov. Code 54957)

Sierra Sun TimesJune 6, 2018 - WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke today announced more than $256 million in approved funding to rebuild critical national park infrastructure. The list includes projects like the repair of the Arlington Memorial Bridge in D.C., the visitor access upgrade at Herring Cove Beach at the Cape Cod National Seashore,​ and the rehabilitation of the Wawona Waste Water Facility—dire maintenance and repair needs that contribute to the $11.6 billion backlog currently facing the nation’s national parks.

Roads, bridges, trails, water systems and visitor centers—even bathrooms, campgrounds and drinking fountains—are all part of this critical, but often unnoticed, infrastructure framework. In 2017, 330 million people visited the 417 NPS sites across the country. The NPS ​completed over $650 million in maintenance and repair work in Fiscal Year 2017, but aging facilities, ​high visitation, and resource constraints have kept the maintenance backlog between $11 billion and $12 billion since 2010.

​ Two climbers fall to their deaths on El Capitan

(CNN)Two climbers fell to their deaths Saturday morning at Yosemite National Park in California, according to spokeswoman and Park Ranger Jamie Richards

The climbers were on the Freeblast Route of El Capitan when they fell.

"The circumstances around the fall are under investigation, and we are working to understand what happened," Richards said.

The climbers fell around 8:15 a.m. (11:15 a.m. ET), according to a news release. Park rangers along with search and rescue immediately responded after numerous 911 calls, said Richards. When they arrived at the site, they discovered the two climbers had died.​​Officials have not yet released the identities of the climbers.

​Yosemite-Wawona Elementary Charter School is growing!

We are opening up our enrollment capacity to 35 students in TK-8th grade for the upcoming 2018-2019 school year!

We currently have 30 students enrolled for 2018-2019.We now have 5 openings for new students!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Know someone who may be interested in enrolling their child(ren) for the upcoming school year?

Movie Night At The Community Center

Jeniffer Amezquita, who works for the education office in Wawona, is organizing Movie Nights as a way to integrate the Yosemite Leadership Summer Interns with the community in Wawona. The first movie night will be this Thursday, May 31st at the community center (located next to Wawona Elementary) and we will be playing The Lone Ranger (PG 13) at 7pm. Doors will open at 6:45pm. Hope to see you all there!!!

Tom Bopp's Tribute to Lower Chilnualna Falls, Accompanied by Music of His Own Composition

NOTE: The Board will be asked to approve all of the following items by a single vote, unless any member of the Board or of the public asks that an item be removed from the consent agenda and considered and discussed separately.

Approval of minutes of the regular meeting, May 16, 2018

HEARING OF PERSONS WISHING TO ADDRESS THE BOARD

The public may address the Board on any matter pertaining to the school that is not on the agenda. There will be no Board discussion and no action will be taken unless listed on a subsequent agenda. ACTION ITEMS

Discuss and approve 2018-2019 student and staff levels

INFORMATION ITEMS

BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS

STAFF REPORTS

L CAP Update

NEXT MEETING DATE

CLOSED SESSION Personnel/Negotiations/Litigation

NOTE: The Board will consider and may act upon any of the following items in closed session. Any action taken will be reported publicly at the end of the closed session as required by law.

Employee Negotiations (Gov. Code 54957.6)

Personnel (Gov. Code 54957)

RECOVENE IN OPEN SESSION: ANNOUNCE CLOSED SESSION ACTIONS

ADJOURNMENT

Hiker falls to his death at Half Dome cables

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK (KGO) -- May 22A hiker fell to his death at Half Dome in Yosemite National Park, according to the National Park Service.

The hiker fell from the Half Dome cables Monday around 4:30 p.m. while hiking with another person during a thunderstorm.

Rangers were notified and arrived on the scene to provide assistance to the second hiker. The hiker who fell did not survive and rangers recovered his body Tuesday.The National Park Service said in a press release that this was the first fatality on the Half Dome cables since 2010, and the first time a visitor has died at the park this year.

The identity of the hiker who fell has not been released, and the cause of the incident is under investigation.

No further details were immediately available.

Wawona Pine Needle Pile Pick Up: June 4–June 8

Your pile must be ready by Monday, June 4. If it is not ready by the time the equipment is in your area, they will not go back and pick up late piles. Remember, one pile per property along the road in front of your property in an unobstructed area where the equipment can easily access your needle pile. Tree limbs and branches must be cut to a maximum of 3 feet in length to be picked up. Only vegetation material will be picked up. No construction materials or large branches, please.

Yosemite National Park, Aramark, & UC Merced properties are not part of the Special Services District and are not included in the pick-up.

If your address is on an out-of-the-way street, you can call or e-mail Calvin Jones so your needle pile won’t be missed.

Tioga Road In Yosemite To Open For The Season

Posted by: gina clugstonYOSEMITE – Yosemite National Park has announced that Tioga Road (Highway 120 East) will open for the season to all vehiculartraffic on Monday, May 21, at 9 a.m.There will be limited services available along the route, say park officials, and all campgrounds along Tioga Road remain closed.There is no anticipated opening date for the Tuolumne Meadows store and the Tuolumne Meadows Visitor Center.Also, be prepared before you go, as there is no gasoline available along Tioga Road. The closest gas station is located at Crane Flat.All motorists should drive with caution and be aware of possible hazards in the roadway including rocks, debris and water. The roadway may be impacted by incoming storm activity, including snow and icy driving conditions, over the next week.Tioga Road may temporarily close due to weather and unsafe driving conditions at any time.Yosemite National Park is open year-round, however Tioga Road is a seasonal route through Yosemite, typically open from late spring to early fall.For updated 24-hour road and weather conditions for Yosemite National Park, please call 209-372-0200.

​SPECIAL MEETING

YOSEMITE-WAWONA ELEMENTARY CHARTER SCHOOL Board of Directors Meeting

Wawona Elementary SchoolWednesday, May 16, 2018 5:30 PM7925 Chilnualna Falls RoadWawona, CaliforniaAGENDA 1.CALL TO ORDER2.ROLL CALLMONTHLY ITEMS AND FINANCIAL REPORTS3.CONSENT AGENDANOTE: The Board will be asked to approve all of the following items by a single vote, unless any member of the Board or of the public asks that an item be removed from the consent agenda and considered and discussed separately.3.1.Approval of minutes of the regular meeting, May 9, 2018

5.HEARING OF PERSONS WISHING TO ADDRESS THE BOARDThe public may address the Board on any matter pertaining to the school that is not on the agenda. There will be no Board discussion and no action will be taken unless listed on a subsequent agenda. ACTION ITEMS6.Discuss and approve proposal to remove 7th and 8th grade from the Charter beginning school year 2018-19.7.Discuss and approve proposal of basic academic schedule for 2018-19 school year (four-days at school and flexFriday for everyone).8.Discuss and approve the contract for Document Tracking Services DTS- contract expires on 5/15/18 and we need thisservice for this year's and next year's LCAP. $345.00

13.NEXT MEETING DATE; Discuss meeting twice a month for the remainder of school year

14.CLOSED SESSION Personnel/Negotiations/Litigation14.1.Board Governance14.2.PersonnelNOTE: The Board will consider and may act upon any of the following items in closed session. Any action taken will be reported publicly at the end of the closed session as required by law.14.3.Employee Negotiations (Gov. Code 54957.6)14.4.Personnel (Gov. Code 54957)

15.RECOVENE IN OPEN SESSION: ANNOUNCE CLOSED SESSION ACTIONS

16.ADJOURNMENT

Yosemite’s Mariposa Grove Of Giant Sequoias Reopens In June

Posted by: gina clugston May 10, 2018 -YOSEMITE – After being closed nearly three years for a restoration project, the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias in Yosemite National Park is set to reopen to the public at 9 a.m. on Friday, June 15.The Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias has been closed since July 2015 to complete a landmark restoration project.In partnership with Yosemite Conservancy, the National Park Service has been working to improve natural hydrology, construct an ADA-accessible boardwalk, construct an improved welcome plaza, and improve the overall visitor experience.This landmark project was made possible thanks to a strong public/private partnership between the National Park Service and Yosemite Conservancy.To visit the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias, visitors will park in a new 300-vehicle parking area at the South Entrance and hop on a free shuttle at the Welcome Plaza, which will transport you to the Lower Grove.Key elements of the restoration include:

Removing asphalt from the original parking lot and roadways, and transforming formerly paved areas into sustainable pedestrian trails and healthy sequoia habitat

Creating an accessible trail system in the lower part of the grove, including boardwalks over sensitive wetland areas

Improving accessibility around two iconic giant sequoias, the Grizzly Giant and the California Tunnel Tree

Developing new educational signs and exhibits focused on the grove’s natural and human history

Completing repairs and new stonework at Wawona Point, the overlook above the grove, to create a safer, more enjoyable visitor experience

Replacing and repairing culverts to encourage natural water flow

Building a new arrival plaza at the South Entrance, complete with parking, restrooms, shuttle, hydration stations and the Yosemite Conservancy Depot, where visitors will be able to purchase books, apparel and other retail items